


Bounty Hunter and The Bounty

by uptocloud



Series: Wasted in Waste, Shameless Mud [2]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: All sorts of issues, F/M, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Multi, Slow realization, Stockholm Syndrome, There is always an Anakin in the background, Toxic Relationship, taken hostage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2020-09-24 20:56:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20364967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uptocloud/pseuds/uptocloud
Summary: All started from the desert and would end in the desert. But nobody knew what was happening at the moment.They fell into a trap they could not escape.Stockholm syndrome, drinking problem, and all kinds of unintentional issues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maul found Obi-Wan on Tattoine accidentally. He had his revenge in other ways (see the 3rd fic of this trash series). But Kenobi was proved to be more than a hostage.

The human is annoying, as ever. Maul definitely wanted to drop her somewhere in the desert if he hadn’t had serious business negotiations to attend. This one was a bargaining chip in his hand. Especially so when his clients were the Hutts. Maul dragged Kenobi along the main street leading towards the domed desert palace. Jaba the Hutt, the youngest councilor of the Hutts family, was famous for his taste for humanoid female slaves. As his honored guest, it would be favorable to own one himself.

“Maul.” Kenobi insisted to address him with her calmest manner, as if he were not her biggest adversary. Every time the name rolled off her lips, Maul got an illusion of them being a long time acquaintance, which was not even an untruth. The result was that the former Sith Lord only got more agitated by the voice of the Jedi Master each time.

“What. Spill.” He intended to allow the minimum of communication. He will talk only when he wants to. Nobody can force him to do anything, anymore. Sands were grating on his mechanical legs, making uncomfortable sounds.

“If you want to bring me to the Hutts as a slave,” Kenobi spoke out hesitantly, “at least dress me like one.” She extended both of her arms to exhibit the simple dark one-piece outfit. Before Maul could counter, she added, “ That’s what we did in Zygerria. And somewhere before that.”

Maul paused, giving her a once-over. That’s new. 

In front of the gate of Jaba the Hutt’s palace, the two force-sensitives looked straight into the faces of the two guards. Sunlight beat down on them, left scarcely any shadow. Both of the guards looked bored, contended to stay in the porch and do nothing while the two strangers scheming in front of them. 

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Obi-Wan asked through the corner of her lips, fretfully dragging the only piece of cloth covering the front of her legs. The hem of the cloth caught at her boots all the way walking from the shop. Sarcastically, such tailor shops could be seen all over Tatooine, _Slave Special_, as their ads said. There must have been a ripe business chain in slavery back in the time of the Republic. She hadn’t been aware of that. 

Now she was only covered in an ornamented mental bikini with an arm ring. The Twi'lek tailor even braided her hair so as to “promote for our latest design that she looks fabulous in.” The former Jedi Master sighed deeply, letting the tailor put a veil on her to cover the lower half of her face. She was disturbed more by the combination of a Twi'lek tailor and slavery costumes than her own situation. In contrast, Maul just wore his usual black bounty hunter’s suit. Simple, practical, but still had the classic design for lightsaber wielders in it. Crossed collars, cuffs at the end of loose sleeves, a jacket with hidden pockets instead of the Sith tabards, a multi-functional belt tightening at the waist. He leaned onto the wall impatiently, with arms crossed at front. Strong muscle flexing under his clothes. Obi-Wan walked out to see he staring into the void, the left side of him illuminated by the sunlight. The impatient posture matched the Zabrak's eternal angry face. A sudden sense of nostalgia struck her. “Isn’t she glamouring?” The Twi'lek was insistent. While Maul stopped them with a sharp glance. His face gave away no emotion, nor passion. As if he is not interested. Confusion began to cloud in Obi-Wan's mind. 

“Alternatively, do you plan to tell me _your plan_?” Collected her thoughts, Obi-Wan decided to face the reality. It’s urgent to think up a plan to keep them alive. Jabba is not known for his love for Jedi.  
“No and no.” Maul yanked the chain attached to her neck, “Now come on, my slave.” “Hey!” Obi-Wan gave him an indignant look. After she realized that she attracted attentions, she had to lower her voice: “What if they find out? I am wanted by your dear master, right now.”

“They will not.” Maul glowered deep in throat, dropped the strange composure immediately. Again he was agitated by Kenobi, “I have no masters.” He yanked so hard that Kenobi stumbled onto the stone steps. The two approached the guards.

Maul searched his inner pocket, produced a small chip. He waved it at the two guards: “Tell your lord, I have what he wants.” A scratchy sound rang immediately after his words, “Let them in.” It was from the speaker hanging at the ceiling. There must be surveillance somewhere. That nasty pale pink Twi’lek chamberlain Jabba hired since the Clone Wars was watching them from the beginning. Maul reached out his force tendril a little, found the small device attached above the gate. Kenobi must have done the same thing, because she turned to look at him. 

Maul was upset to find out that he could understand what those green eyes were trying to say. Like a butterfly in stomach. He glared back, putting emotions into it. _What do you take me for!? I am not some brainless farmer kid. _As if shocked, Kenobi quickly backed down. He went back to tag a force note onto the surveillance, in case he could make use of it in the future.

“Come on in.” The guards opened the door.


	2. They Had A Big Adventure in Jabba’s Palace, Which Revealed New Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I shamelessly stole Leia's scene. Sorry.

Jabba’s palace was filled with slime, damp and dark as nowhere in Tatooine. Maul stepped into the tunnel gingerly, holding the chain to Kenobi tighter. There were caves along the tunnel, like the inner structure of a galaxy battle ship. However, the caves were occupied by bounty hunters and slaves. They sneaked peeks at the two newcomers, then exchanged words in different alien languages. Kenobi stopped suddenly.

_What now?_ Maul impatiently opened up his force channel.  
Kenobi hesitated. Her eyes were drawn to a little Togrutan girl chained under the table. The young creature growled, exhibiting her growing teeth.  
Maul rolled his eyes, tightened the chain and went on. He knew who it would remind the Jedi of. He knew everything about this Jedi.

They went into the hall, where Jaba lying his enormous tail from the throne to the bottom of the stairs. The pink Twi'lek scrutinized them. Other bounty hunters did not seem to realize the slave by his side was the most wanted in the galaxy.

The negotiation went on surprisingly well. Jabba agreed to pay 2,000 wupiupi for one gram kyber gem. Maul had to shake on that, although wupiupi was not a currency he would prefer, nor he would like to shake hands with Jabba. The next time I will not trade with the Hutts.

As if noticing his disgruntlement, the pink Twi'lek added, “The mighty Jabba also offered a deal of future trade in slaves from Kiroth and Ryloth.”  
Maul himself was not a fan of slave trade. It triggered unpleasant memories together with insatiable needs. But he could manage it later. What can he complain anyway? It’s good business.

But something felt off. The moment when he realized it, it was a second too late.  
A giant pit opened up under his feet. It was a mistake to trust the Hutts! He was falling. In the peripheral of his vision, Maul saw something big and dark moving underneath. He hates falling into somewhere deep. And will hate it till the end.

Chains’ rattling.

He instantly grasped the end of the chain before it ran out.

Kenobi’s annoyingly calm voice came from overhead, “Hang on there. I will not let you fall twice.”

Obi-Wan had known that there was a pit under Jabba’s floor since the start of the Clone Wars, from that time they rescued Jabba’s son. She saw Maul stand firm on that area with confidence. Two conflicted feelings struck her. It’s a good thing to see Maul’s demise due to his own arrogance. But Jabba is a kind of death too basic to suit him. She observed their communication from under the veil. Maul always paused a second before answering. He was either nervous or calculating the bigger picture. It reminded her, in their previous encounters, Maul was never rush in action. How different from…well, someone. She realized that she knew much less than what Maul knew about her.

She thought she would let it be Maul’s end. Especially when Maul gave a small smile to the slave trade offer.

But when the time came, the red color suddenly left her sight, crooked laughter rang across the hall, she felt as if being smothered by dense darkness. The body acted before she could reason. Obi-Wan threw the chain tied to her neck right into the pit timely.

Is that the right thing to do? She risked choking herself to save some galactic villain, namely Maul. Obi-Wan held tight to the chain with both of her hands, facing all the blasters suddenly all drawn at her. She smiled vaguely. She cannot let Maul die here.

“Stars! You are heavy!” Obi-Wan used up all her strength dragging the chain away from the pit while dodging the bolts. “It’s time for you to shine! Maul? Just jump out for the force’s sake!”

“And you are annoying.” Maul’s deep voice rang from her back. Something familiar in the force flew into her hands. The soothing weight and cold metal promised safety and sane. Her chain cut loose at a small shimmering sound. Bright blue cast light to her features. Obi-wan swirled her lightsaber into position, one arm stretching parallel to her sight while the other holding the saber high over her head.

“Jedi!” Jabba desperately ordered everyone around. Guards and hunters rushed towards her from every corner.

With another slight sound, a warm body pressed into her back, guarding the opposite direction. The familiar heat and posture, she was on the brink to tears immediately. Then the voice came from her back. The voice she linked with threat. Instead of comfort. Not him! She was screaming in mind. But this strangely beautiful voice that loaded with venom is here now. Guarding her back. And V…Vader wants her head. A part of her heart was ripped out, permanently.

“You take the hunters. I’ll deal with the guards.” Maul made a small gesture. Without looking back, Obi-Wan nodded. The hunters’ blasters were no match for her Soresu. She deflected every bolt to its owner precisely. The force was singing to her. She felt alive. Within a few minutes, the hunters were turned into piles of rolling agony.

That gave her time to look back. A red shadow was roaming the hall with anger and force. She could only saw silhouettes of Maul slaughtering those guards. Maul was using the Mandalorian dark saber, the exact saber he used to kill Duke Shatin. The air tasted hellish.

Screams soon died down.

Maul flipped backwards, landed besides her. The pink Twi'lek’s pale blood splattered across his face. He fleeted a grin to her, yellow eyes round. Lightsaber’s heat should have sealed the wounds immediately, unless you cut through extremely big veins. Obi-wan could hardly tear her eyes off him. But the potential grotesque scene drove her to look at the throne. She did not recognize the mess at first sight. Pink fluids shot from the neck to the ceiling, while the body left on floor was still twitching. The Twi'lek became a blood fountain. Only when she moved her sight downwards did she realize the thing on the bottom of the stairs was the severed head, eyes still wide open.

She did not know that she floundered. But Maul caught her arm anyway. He ripped off her veil to dab on those blood stains on his face.

“How uncivilized.” That’s all Obi-wan could think of.

“But you call THAT civilized?” Maul pointed his chin towards the miserable pile of disabled hunters. He laughed down at her, while circled the Jedi with one arm, squeezing her into his side. He grabbed her on the upper arm: “They have known. They will speak.”  
“No.” Obi-wan stiffened. Being so close, now she can smell all the blood on Maul.

Maul raised one brow: “I am not the one wanted.”

“Yet.” Obi-wan sternly locked eyes with Maul, while whirling her saber. The shackles on the Togrutan girl dropped immediately. She scrambled away with agility. But no one knew how and why did she get so close to them. What a clever creature. Maul snatched Obi-Wan’s saber away with a clawed hand: “Time to give it back.”

When Obi-Wan was going to fight Maul, Jabba the Hutt started roaring. He wiggled his huge slime body with all the strength. A secret tunnel appeared behind his back. However, Jabba was not only planning on his escape. He was pressing a controller like crazy.

The floors under the chambers caved one by one. Some of the guests and the guards fell into the pit, miserable yells coming from the outside.  
Jabba desperately intended to take out them at the cost of the whole palace.

Without hesitation, Obi-wan jumped over the hall with a three-point landing, picked up the nearest stuff on floor, made a final somersault onto Jabba’s slippery back. All the work was done in seconds. The weapon she had in hand was exactly the chain to her neck.  
“Stop it!” Obi-Wan rode on Jabba like on an angry bantha. But Hutt’s hands were too short and located too low for her reach. Another scream came from the outside. No time to think it through, she hooked the chain over Jabba’s throat. “Stop it!” She began to use the force to tighten the chain. Jabba was too big for ordinary humans to control. “E Chu Ta!” Jabba howled. Another scream. But Obi-Wan was no common human being. She was a Jedi master.

Obi-Wan tightened the chain with all her strength, one foot stepping on Jabba’s back. But the Hutt was stubborn, he never lost his controller until his wriggle gradually died down. A strange air of anger accumulated inside of her.

With a final snap, Jabba was dead. Strangled till his spine popped.

The sound was disgustingly near her face. Obi-Wan slid off the giant’s back, breathing heavily. Jabba was strangled to death in her bare hands, which was never a peaceful death judging from his face. His tongue lolled out onto the floor, no longer able to swallow anyone alive. Looking at the corpse, Obi-Wan was struck by nausea. During the fight, she felt anger. And now, the death of Jabba only gave her peace and content, which was quite disturbing after realizing it. Obi-Wan threw the chain to the floor with a low curse. The stentorian sound of collision reverberated in the empty hall.

Maul was the only other one alive now. He again had arms crossed at chest, steps away from the throne. But this time, his attention was fully on Obi-Wan, feral yellow eyes full of mocking appraisal. A pile of bounty hunters at his feet could no longer make any sound. Obi-Wan stared back into his eyes.

The former Sith stepped up. He was smiling, exposing his sharp teeth. Black tattoos warped on his red skin. Obi-Wan could feel his hot breath.  
Maul tucked one hand behind her head, wrapping her braid around fingers. With mere physical force, he drew her close. His ominous red pupils were blown, like a well of blood. Purring escaped deep in his throat.

The heat on her lips nearly stunk her. The surprisingly soft texture was intoxicating. Her chest tightened. A wet hot sensation followed the gentle start, lapping at her tether of mind. All her breath, all her focus, all her space was taken at the same time. The world shrank to just them. The Zabrak put all his emotion and attention into a cubic. Obi-Wan felt dizzy when their tongues tangled. Maul’s hand in her hair pulled painfully tight, the other hand hot spread on her rear. Since when, she felt controls for the first time. She was aching.

All ended too soon when Maul drew back first. He made a lurid slurp separating their lips. “You are beautiful when angry.” He rasped.

A stump, as if something heavy dropped. Only when a dark piece of cloth draped over her, did Obi-Wan realize that she was down to the floor now. Maul looked down at her, standing so close. “Clean yourself. The slime is disgusting.” He offered. Obi-Wan just gave him a blank stare, as if the previous fight took away all she had.

But the timing did not leave them more leisure to idle. Sharp alarms blared from the outside. Footsteps approached. Maul could sense more than a dozen sentient beings were surrounding the palace. With a click of electricity and magnet, a speaker turned on.

“Listen! This is the imperial troopers. You have been surrounded. Put down your weapons and walk out immediately!” The familiar standard-issued voice indicated it was one of the cloned-slaves the Republic created. They turned into imperial troopers as quickly as they had appeared in the War.

Maul made an annoyed noise. He was not done with the Hutt’s business. A few troopers would never stop him. However, he is along with the most wanted fugitive whom he had no plan to turn in. He did not want the empire on hot tail wherever he go once they got the information.

“Jedi. Stand up. We have to run.” He commanded at the Jedi sitting at his feet. Kenobi huddled to herself, staring into the floor. She did not seem to respond to any outside calls, merging into her own world again. But Maul could feel her trembles when the clone trooper made a threat again. He sighed deeply, recollecting his breath and calling on the force. 

The imperial troopers held tight onto their blasters, all pointed to the entrance. They rallied all the forces as soon as the informant ran into the station. Most of them were new recruiters. Only the lieutenant here was a veteran soldier. According to the Togrutan slave’s rapid mumbles and gestures, they realized that something really big happened in the most powerful house on Tatooine.

The front gate was open, without any trace of guards. No one was making any noise in there. Only creepy silence remained inside the dark alley. Hot afternoon sun beat down on the troopers. One entrant nervously adjusted his blaster. He must be sweating inside the suit. The lieutenant decided to make a last call. He made a gesture to all the troopers, while lifting the comm to his mouth.

“You have been…”  
The moment when the words left his mouth, a loud explosion broke out from the back of the palace. The clone lieutenant closed his mouth with an audible crack. “Up there!” Some one shouted. All the blasters pointed upwards. A black figure was running on the roof. The arched tiles did not seem to slow him down a bit.

“Blast ‘im! ” Immediately, everyone opened fire at that figure.

But it did not stop him from approaching with high speed. He dodged the blasts with practiced ease. The troopers began to waver. Their shots became desperate. When the figure came close to the roof’s edge, they saw that he was also carrying someone in his arms while moving freely.  
“Monster!” Someone was yelling with fear.

The figure rushed towards to edge without pause, only slowed down a bit when he locked eyes with their informant for a second. Now everyone could see his face. A red tattooed face, horns crowned on top of his bold head. He stared down on them with a feral laugh. His yellow eyes caught the sunlight at a certain angle, like torches never douse. The world dropped into silence. No body dare to make a move in front of this monster. The troopers hesitated with their shots without knowing it.

The creature made a jump. Over their head. Over their vehicles. No normal humanoid could have such power to jump so high, so long. He was in the air for seconds. The black cloth in his arm blown away in the midair. Strong wind created by his speed ruffled the hostage's red gold hair, covering the one’s face. All they could see with wide-open mouths was the bare human skin under metal pieces. Time seems frozen when they all looked up, sunlight burning their eyes to tears. The figures were beaming with unrealistic ferocity. A halo of fuzzy light surrounded them in the background.

The creature landed behind their blockade with a swift rolling. With someone in arms, he did all the movements elegantly without making a sound. Before the troopers could turn their blasters, the figure jumped into one of their hover motors, shoved aside the rider and rode away. His black robe did not reflect light, consuming them all. Nothing could escape the black hole.  
It was a sob broke the silence. The Togrutan slave cried out loud. She sounded like a being already dead.


	3. The New Path Unlocked, But Not Everyone Was Happy About It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence to minor and Non-con smut

“Promise me,” Obi-Wan spoke up for the first time in a while, “don’t hurt the kid.” She sat up in the corner of the booth still wrapped in the black cloth. Maul raised one eyebrow. He boxed the Jedi in against the armrest, while holding a drink in hand. It had been the third bar they visited this night. To drop the tails. A very obvious but effective skill. But all small drinks Maul had was non-alcoholic. It was wise of him not to get drunk in front of Obi-Wan. Villain as he was, Maul was generally ascetic and organized, which also made him especially dangerous.  
Maul drawled with lowered voice, which sent Obi-Wan a shiver down her spine, “You want me to pardon that Togrutan rat? It was you who cut it free. What do you have to bargain with me, Jedi?” He gestured with one hand hovering over her body, “You don’t have power, or money, or connection available in the empire.” The former Sith snatched her chin in a clawed hand, forcing her to look at him, “I even had you. The great Jedi master, all for my taking.” As if reminded of something, Maul licked his lips, “What a surprise. You are such a pleasant fuck. I thought the Jedi should not care for desires.” “Then you shall have it, again.” Obi-Wan locked eyes with him, putting venom into the words.

Maul threw his head back for laughing, making a beast-like grumble, “I don’t need your permission to fuck you. I can do it anytime I like. I can even do it now.”  
“But she is only a child.” Obi-Wan backed down. Her voice lowered to a whisper, sounded pleading.  
“A child capable of going to the cops. Darth Vader also slaughtered your Jedi younglings.” Maul dismissively waved his hand, “I don’t see you did anything about that.” As if suddenly switched on, Obi-Wan jumped up, “What Do You Know!?” Maul caught her fist swiftly, wrestling her back into the cushion. His hands came at her throat. The Zabrak gave her a victorious smile: “Vader, Heh? Did I touch something?”

“It’s none of your business.” Obi-Wan sealed her mouth.  
“You don’t care about that slave?” Maul leaned in, breathing on her face. It was fun to push the Jedi and see her struggle.  
Maul had always suspected that Kenobi was personally involved in the fall of the republic and the rise of the empire. Or she would not have been the highest bid for bounty hunters. But the question was _How_.  
“I am the last Jedi. I am the biggest threat to them.” Kenobi was good at lying, but not so good to fool Maul. Only because Maul knew her. When she looked so genuine, she was mostly probably trying to negotiate. Moreover, Maul knew there were other Jedi alive. He had made quite a few acquaintances himself.

He straightened up, releasing the pressure on the Jedi’s neck. Kenobi made several attempts to soothe her breath. If the squeeze hurt her, she did not show it, which was admirable. On seeing a sneaking shadow in the crowds, Maul had another idea. The tip on Vader is too big a leverage to use in such a trivial occasion. He has a more appropriate proposal. He knocked at the table with knuckles, signaling that being to approach.

“Lord Maul.” A small figure bowled before them, accent heavy. When the being moved closer, Obi-Wan recognized with astonishment that it was the said Togrutan girl. Maul smirked triumphantly while settling back into a more comfortable position, with one arm hooked around Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Did you get it?” He extended the other arm, languidly showing his palm. “Yes, mi’lord.” The Togruta put a memory stick in his empty hand. Maul hummed with satisfaction. Obi-Wan kept close attention to every movement of the two. She knew that it would not be this simple.

“Is everything I need in this?” Maul examined the stick before tucked it into his inner pocket. The Togruta bowled again as an affirmation. “Good.” Maul let out a short and crispy consonant. The sound was strangely clear in the noisy bar, fell heavy in the corner, as though it was the final ticking of a timed bomb. The word dropped like a leaf, and it exploded. Before Obi-Wan could react, Maul kicked the Togruta in the face. The little girl was sent flying a few meters away from the booth. She did not have the time to yell, passed out directly by the ferocity of the kick.

“Maul!” Obi-Wan nearly screamed. She tried to retrieve the girl with the force, but so many eyes were on them now. They were familiar with bar fighting, instead of force using. Maul walked off to drag the girl back by the middle of her Montrels, face filled with desire to kill. He threw her into the nearest wall, banged her face forcefully against it.  
“Stop it!” Obi-Wan rushed there, scratching at Maul’s arm. Maul just looked at her without emotion. The Togrutan slave made a small mumble, luckily alive. “Listen, this is the price you pay for you ratted out ME!” Maul bellowed. He did not let go, regardless of Obi-Wan’s nails digging into his flesh. He smashed her into the wall another time and dragged the limp form back to the booth. Obi-Wan tried to pry the poor girl from his hand, only got a kick in the lower back. She was squeezed into the far corner of the booth. While Maul single-handedly knocked the small head on a sharp edge of the bar table. This time, both of the force users heard something cracked.

Breath caught in Obi-Wan’s throat. She did not realize tears were welling up until she saw wet drops on the cushion. She turned in time to see Maul lifted the glass he previously drained high over head, ready to smash it against the frail Montrels. “Stop it, Maul!” Obi-Wan cried out, threw herself at him, caught the hem of his tunic, “I will do anything you demand!” The last words were screamed out, hoarse and desperate. Maul’s arm dropped. Obi-Wan widely opened her eyes with terror.

A soft click settled between the glass and the table. Maul looked down at her smugly. “Good, Master Kenobi.”

“I will not ask things too complicated since it has been late. And both of us are tired.” He sat down with thighs spread. The Togrutan girl was left on the floor at his feet. She was still breathing. Obi-Wan moved her sight from the floor to Maul’s face, “What do you want? Speak.”

Maul turned right to take in her form completely. Then he yanked the black cloth away. Obi-Wan did not have much to cover her body besides the ridiculous metal bikini. Her hands flew to her exposed flesh out of instinct. Maul impatiently batted her hands away. “Stay.” His tone was like talking to a pet. “You will blow me here. After we finish, the rat lives, and we go home.”

Obi-Wan sucked in air sharply. Some of the beings around were sneaking at them. Her face burnt deep red with indignation. “Come on, Master Kenobi. Clock is ticking.” Maul tapped the Togrutan girl with his mechanical foot. The girl left out a dying sound. Obi-Wan gazed at Maul with a death stare. But it changed nothing.

Maul put on his stoic but sanctimonious expression, smiling without pulling at his tattoos. Holding eye contact with Maul, Obi-Wan bent down slowly, lowering herself to prone onto the cushion. Shame and defeat rose in her stomach. She fumbled at Maul’s belt. “Hurry up, darling, don’t be shy.” Maul rest his hand on her hair, voice low and soft.

Finally, Obi-Wan freed Maul’s dick from the clothing with shaking hands. The huge red shaft jumped out, nearly bumped into her nose. Strong scent of herb and male hormone filled her sensation. The force was ringing in her ears. Being so close to the monster cock, Obi-Wan could see ridges along the slightly up-tipped cylinder. Dark patterns spiraled up to the tip like elsewhere of his body, making the shaft more protruding. The larger than human’s mushroom top was already smeared with glistening precum. Maul bucked his waist, poked her face with his shaft, “You like it? Master Kenobi?” He deliberately used her title as if an insult, “come on, use that intelligent negotiator’s mouth of yours.” Someone whistled. Obi-Wan tried not to look around. The air was hot in the bar. Sweat began to collect at her forehead.

She gingerly lapped at the tip. Salty and strange flavor attacked her taste buds immediately. Gathering her strength, she took the shaft into her mouth. Maul suddenly tightened his hand, pushed in with one stroke. The hard tip bumped into her inner throat. Obi-Wan gagged involuntarily. But Maul’s claw was there keeping her head firmly in place. With mouth stuffed to bottom, she struggled to swallow down the feeling. The swallowing created a small vacuum, latching onto Maul’s cock tightly. The Zabrak moaned deeply with growls. Physical tears bleared Obi-Wan’s sight. She looked up but couldn’t see. Her lips were stretched around the thick cock.

Her skin was burning. She tried her best to move her head and tongue, licking and sucking at the Sith’s monster cock. The pieces of metal caught at her thighs and breasts, scratching them raw. The shaft kept assaulting her mouth, leaving her little space to breathe. Gradually, Obi-Wan saw stars for a lack of oxygen, her movement slowed down.  
A hard slap on her butt startled her out of the stupor. Maul did not reserve strength in punishing her. She is a Jedi, she can handle it. Obi-Wan put the burning sensation aside, refocusing on giving another deep-throat.

“Good girl.” Maul could feel wetness dripping along his shaft. The pressure around his cock was steady and tight. The tongue lapped at the tip softly with agility. Even the gag sounds she made was perfect. Her ginger hair dangled between his thighs, leaving itchy sensations. The handprint on her white butt began to show. The angry red mark shook with her unconscious wagging. So obvious, his mark on her. So perfect. Kenobi picked the time to suck forcefully at his tip.

Maul made a sharp intake of breath. He dragged her head away for a minute. Those full lips were abused, shot with blood. Spit stained her chin. Kenobi was breathing through her mouth, nearly lost control of her tongue. Two strips of tear stains were clear on her cheeks. The strong taste of triumph was so delicious, to see the reverent Jedi abused and feeling shame and desperate. Only he could do it. Maul pressed her back onto his cock. The new round was deep and quick. He dragged her hand to his balls. Satisfaction came from the duo stimulation, Maul quickened the pace. Kenobi completely lost it while being stuffed full, making loud watery sounds in the cunning mouth.

With several final strokes, Maul released deep in her throat. He freed himself immediately, and pitched her nose. The Jedi coughed and threw her hands aimlessly in panic. However, suffocated, she had no choice but to swallow his semen. After a few more moments of dry-heaving, Kenobi calmed down. Maul tucked his clothes decent with unparalleled satisfaction.

Kenobi climbed up into a sitting position. Her face was a mess now. These two days, she was either swollen and covered in blood or stained by tears and spit. She coughed badly when opening her mouth to make a sound. After the fit died down, she spoke: “Let her live.” Her voice was raw. Maul’s eyebrows rose: “Of course,” He gestured for the bartender, “take her away.” The driod rolled over silently and dragged the Togruta to the back of the bar. Although not ideal, Kenobi lost the fight with exertion. She stared for a little longer, and resigned to a nod. 

Maul wiped her face clean with his thumb. The touch was hot but gentle. Obi-Wan nearly leaned in for the comforting warmth. The Zabrak wrapped her back into the black cloak, even taking an effort to rearrange the collar. His feature was somewhat unguarded when he looked into her eyes. The imaginary feelings strangely soothed away the sore and bitterness in her. Obi-Wan was not sure it was in the physical realm or in the force. After a few moments of silence, Maul ordered her a Correlian Brandy, which the woman hurriedly drained off in two gulps. She needed the hydration, and the alcohol. “Let’s go home.” Maul’s deep voice sounded sentimental, wavering a bit at the last word. He put on gloves, ready to leave. She just nodded and took his hand.

Nobody spoke on the trip back. The dry chilly air in the dessert surrounded them. Obi-Wan wrapped her cloak tighter sitting in the backseat. A few strands of hair stubbornly escaped her braid, waffling along the wind. The engine of hover motor made loud broken noise, which transmitted far into the deep of the night. The unattended road they took meandered under the sky, leading to unknown places.  
Some small creatures disturbed by the them stirred along the way. The subtle chirrups followed the intruders a short distance then disappeared into the endless sand dunes. Maul freed one hand to reach back, as if to make sure of her existence. Leather covered hand stroke along her spine. Obi-Wan sighed deeply, relaxed into the heat of Maul’s back, buried her face into the nighty dark tunic. The smell of exotic herbs was getting familiar to her. Maul’s muscle tensed for a second. Obi-Wan could hear that he also breathed out long through the chest. The reverberation mixed with the engine noise brought her back to a more peaceful time. Strangely, she felt safe. No moon was in the sky tonight. But there were stars, and a vast galaxy over their heads.


	4. A Business Rose, A Case Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some domestic fluff-not-fluff

It had been a long day for both of them. One day and a half passed since Maul picked up Kenobi by accident. He was not searching for Kenobi in particular, but he knew she survived the Jedi purge. However, Kenobi was like a ghost, evading not only from the empire, from him, but also from the rebels. So Maul for the first time in his life just accepted the fate. The few years in between were a welcomed break from Kenobi, when Maul could really consider his own plan. Nevertheless, the fate indeed had a sick sense of humor. Followed the blueprint of an underworld empire came Kenobi in flesh.

  
Maul was tired. He was forced to multi-task. At least, he got his rewards. That was what he said to himself, for a path he chose. When they reached the safe house deep in the Jundland Waste, Kenobi had already dozed off on his back. It was ridiculous in face of one’s arch enemy. She was sure that he wouldn’t kill her, and couldn’t care less for most things. But Maul still wanted revenge, still intended to find out what she cared.

  
Maul unloaded her from the motor like a cargo. He threw the Jedi over shoulder and went into the hut. The motor would be dealt with tomorrow. He made a mental note, _He will do it tomorrow _. A stir in the force showed that Kenobi woke up. But she stayed still in the compromising position, leaving it all for the former Sith to decide, -- As if she trusted him.

  
The Zabrak did not flickered on the electricity with his excellent night vision. He maneuvered around the house without bumping into anything. Once reached the bedroom, Maul threw Kenobi into the full-sized bed. Kenobi mumbled disgracefully, starting to struggle with her clothes. She did not bother to open her eyes. Maul stared down on the wriggling form, suddenly realized that she was trying to get rid of the clothes. A contemplated sneer escaped his nose. Maul proceeded to expel his own clothes.

  
They were getting too comfortable with each other. When Maul settled down with Kenobi in the bed, both of them naked, he even imagined an enraged Sidious electrocuted him. But Maul could do whatever he wanted now. So he spooned Kenobi in bed again. Her cool skin and soft form did magical things to his sleep. He buried his nose into Kenobi’s neck. Her scent was intoxicating, sending him fast asleep.

A pathetic scream woke him up suddenly.  
Kenobi was mumbling rapidly.  
“NO, I did not….Please Qui-, I did- Don’t be dis-appointed at-“ She tossed around, the content changed to another person, “Anakin!”

  
Without thinking, already wide awake, Maul slapped her in the face, startling her out of the delirium. He went furious on hearing that name coming out her mouth so clearly in the night. A dark sense of possession took over him. He would not tolerate her escaping him a third time.  
The slap quickly silenced the Jedi. Kenobi lay supine motionlessly, staring into the ceiling while tears running down her cheeks. Here it comes again. Maul suspected that some part was shattered permanently inside Kenobi. Another red mark on her face showed too soon to be healthy. Her body was failing. The Zabrak realized. But he will fix it, fix it tomorrow.

  
“Your Anakin is dead.” The way Maul urged her to turn to his direction was by threatening.  
“Indeed.” Kenobi rasped, “ I killed him.”  
The answer stunned Maul. Deprived of sleep, he couldn’t think clear what would drive the golden duo to draw blades towards each other. He even suspected the two were secretly in love, which at one time led him to scheme about taking out Skywalker to hurt Kenobi. The difficulty was far beyond the gain though.

  
She killed her former Padawan? Unimaginable.  
“How?” Maul supported his head with one hand.  
“Not now, Maul.” Kenobi breathed out, turned to face him without looking at him, “But you will know.” She pushed him back down, lying her head on his bare chest, one small hand resting on his side.  
Maul grunted, closed his eyes again. The weight on his chest was heavy but steady. Kenobi’s light breath gradually evened.

Obi-Wan opened her eyes again when it was still dark, an explosion distant outside. She was alone in bed, soaked in sweat. She reflectively reached under her pillow only to find nothing there.  
Something tugged at the back of her mind, and the dark side felt burning and sticky, like oil under rock bed. Her back was too warm to be normal, and the sheet underneath reserved a strange warmth. Oh, she realized, Maul is gone.

  
The room was as austere as her own. Obi-Wan got off from bed, free of any kind of bondage. It was hard to imagine Maul being anything but careful. But she could guess why: she had nowhere to run. By analyzing the logic, she had never felt so clear-headed in the past few days. Maybe not completely sober, but functioning.

  
Gathered herself up back in the cloak discarded on the floor, Obi-Wan pushed the door open. It was a clear night in desert. A globe of smoke rose quietly from behind the nearest sand dune. The motor they grabbed from the patrol was missing.  
Obi-Wan decided not to wander off.  
It is a good time to pick up meditation instead of wine bottles. Lost or not, she needed an answer.

The force is so quiet. The darkness is lurking in the outskirt of her blurred senses, while her alliance in light is nowhere to be found. Where used to be sunny days, now there are stormy nights. How did everything come to this? Was she really a bad master and she was doomed to ruin her apprentice? Like Owen said, she should stay away from the Skywalkers. Or? She would still correct her mistakes by starting anew. Can she? But how?  
The further she went, the more gloomy the answer seemed.

It’s what Maul saw coming back from the discarded pile of junk: a hooded figure sat cross-legged at the door. Strands of hair floating in the air even there was no wind. Then was the cloak, filled up with air, flapping around the figure. The tranquility was nearly solid, tightly hugging the figure like a cradle. He flinched without notice. He had anticipated that Kenobi would be awake but not this. Still, he did not like it, as he had never liked the light side.

  
That’s why he went up and threw a dead desert rat he hunted for fun onto the human female. But he regretted immediately, he seemed young and silly again by doing so. The woman squeaked while jumped up, shaking her cloak in frantic, “I told you NO! Ana..” Her preaching cut short immediately. Their eyes met.

Of course that Padawan of her would be in her worst nightmare now. It should have been a chance for Maul to torment her. But somehow Maul felt more agitated than victorious.  
Kenobi tried to maintain her best Jedi presence by putting on an emotionless face and looking directly at him. “It’s FOOD.” Maul started to feel awkward, unnecessarily stressed on the word. He waved a hand dismissively.

Kenobi paused a beat, pinched her nose bridge: “I don’t eat … most kinds of meat. And it’s late night, or early morning.”  
“It’s not for you, woman.” Maul eyed her all over again, “But humans are not herbivore.” Her form wrapped tight in the cloak looked skinny, which did not show when she was stripped. Kenobi sighed, as if the rat had personally offended her. Then she raised her head: “You don’t plan to eat it raw, do you?”  
Maul instead felt really offended.

“What?” Maul snapped at the hand extended to his face. Obi-Wan had picked up the rat gingerly by thumb and a finger, walked closer to him. “Your other games. I know you have hunted more.”

“So what?” Maul squared his shoulders to tower over her, at the same time releasing an intimidating force aura. It was strange that the threatening gesture was universal among all species of male humanoids. Obi-Wan replied in resignation, “I’ll cook them. Carnivore does not mean barbaric.”

  
Surprisingly enough, Maul agreed. He seemed intrigued by Obi-Wan’s effrontery. She hadn’t offered to do anything before. They sat by the bonfire at the backyard, which was a firm plot without too much sand. Regardless of not eating meat mostly, Obi-Wan was apt gutting them. She quickly disposed of the inedible organs, and rubbed salt into the flesh.

After put the meat over fire, she threw rat hearts and lungs into the pit. Grabbing a handful of sand to clear the blood from her hands, Obi-Wan sat back down besides Maul. He watched the whole course quietly.  
Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Obi-Wan explained, “You’d better eat the guts first.” When she was focused on preparing the meal, her mind was occupied, feeling that at least she can do something right. But now the shadows were back.  
Maul stared a moment longer. Obi-Wan significantly felt some kind of emotion was brewing in the force. Vague, mixed, but strong. Without prescience, Maul stood up. He left a “Stay” and went back into the house. Quickly he reemerged with a saucer.  
He inserted the steel plate into the fire, under the meat.

  
Obi-Wan was surprised, “I thought you didn’t know about cooking.” Maul bared teeth to her, but didn’t grumble.  
Picking up oil caught in the saucer, Obi-Wan applied the melt fat back on the meat with a knife. -- She would not wish for a brush in Maul’s safe house. She started with a lowered voice: “Ahsoka liked it. Togrutas are carnivores, like you Zabraks.”

  
Maul sat reclined not caring for what she was talking about, he turned to focus on fishing out the guts with force. Immediately when the burning hot pieces floated within reach, he grabbed and stuffed the handful into his mouth.  
Obi-Wan watched him with mouth agape. But the Zabrak was busy chewing, did not falter a bit.  
“Fine.” Jedi Master lost the staring contest. She raised her voice unconsciously, “But why MALES have to be jerks around food!” Against her accusing gaze, Maul intentionally swallowed aloud. His face was filled with contentment.

Obi-Wan turned back to the pit, speaking with an even higher volume: “Okay! Anakin would eat worms alive like noodles; Qui-Gon could eat barks; Now you, eating meat in whatever states, raw or burning.” It was the first time she spoke of those names without hesitation. It was a good idea to keep herself busy.  
Maul chuckled behind her. His deep voice always left a beast-like impression. The hair on her back stood on its end. But he did not make further moves, as if he genuinely felt humored.

In the end, Maul tossed her the last rat, “Eat.”  
“I said, I don'..”  
Obi-Wan was interrupted by Maul’s look.  
“We have work to do tomorrow.” He rose to put off the fire, covering the pit carefully with sand and stomped on it.  
In time Obi-Wan’s stomach rumbled. Both of them have work to do tomorrow.

Maul had been rather busy the next few days. Some Jawa’s ship dropped by near their house. Obi-Wan helped to bargain for a scrapped motor. If she had had to comment on it, she would say she did a good job haggling. Her trick of words had not worked so well for a long time. It felt like a life time ago that she could achieve something without dragging everything to hell. Meanwhile, Maul was good at machines. He fixed the water pump and moisture collector along with the shabby motor.

Being a Zabrak allowed him to work in the nights to avoid the heat while seeing clearly in the dark. When he was working on the hose, Obi-Wan sat under the roof, chained back to the windowsill in case she tried anything funny. But she did not understand why Maul would go this far to maintain the safe house by himself, while let her sit there and watch. She had tried to meditate, but found no echo in the Force either for the dark side lurking around or, alcohol accumulated in her body. Indeed she let herself loose for awhile.

Maul grunted when the hose spilled sand instead of water. He tore his collar open in defeat. Even though the second sun had sunk at the horizon, the rest of its light was enough to bake the desert to create illusions in distance. The dusk was still hot, leaving Maul sweating as heavily as a Zabrak could. His red chest glistened with a layer of thin moisture, dark tattoos almost shining when caught in the orange twilight.

Obi-Wan wondered whether they were Dathormian patterns or Sith patterns. But for sure they were magical. Magical. The word tastes ironic on tip of the tongue.  
“Dig deeper!” She shouted, feeling light-headed. The sand under her laps was hot as a nest for hatching eggs.

The Zabrak shouted back impatiently: “Leave it in bed! Woman!”  
“What a mess I would be then.” The dizziness returned the flippant humor back to her for a moment. Obi-Wan was not sure since when Maul stopped calling her Jedi. But if this is the Sith spit rehab the Force dragged her into, it is not as bad as she deserved.

Maul threw a screwdriver at her in annoyance. At the same time, water sprayed out from the pump. Startled, he hurried to use the Force to tighten the screws. Maul was steamy when stained wet, from the high body heat. Obi-Wan laughed out with a huff.

  
They had sex in the night. Not as rough as the first time, Maul seemed not keen on inflicting pain on her if she did not struggle. Occasional shames were welcomed though. When a few especially deep and filling thrusts elicited out her moans, Obi-Wan immediately bit her lips. Maul purred at her, spilling inside. She braced for the upcoming knot. But nothing inflated in her this time. Maul drew out, leaving a trail of white semen on her belly. They dropped back into the familiar spooning soon after.

Having a working motor meant they could leave the hut. Maul brought her along to his “business trips”. It seemed that he nearly trusted her.  
“I trusted those scums less.” After he shot the Tradoshan bounty hunter and gave a chip to his companion, Maul explained simply.

Obi-Wan drew eyebrows higher: “So I am your backup now.” The word tastes bad in her own mouth.  
“For now.” He spoke from the corner of his mouth. Turning back to his new business partners, Maul glowered in an extremely menacing way: “Tell your boss, if he wants it, come to me in person.”

Without being told what was in the memory stick, Obi-Wan could guess that it included Jabba’s property documents and contacts. Maul is making use of it and consolidating powers on Tattoine effectively. They had more talks and more fights in the twelfth cycle alone than in the previous ones together. Most of the negotiations, passive or aggressive, were easily. The “bosses” claimed to be, were basically bigger street gangsters.

Obi-Wan sighed. What have become of the world? The time of heroes have passed. Gone are the days when there were schemes overthrowing a planet, pirates taking control of a whole trade route, knights and villains fighting for their codes. She did not know where her old friends and enemies had gone, besides the one red Zabrak threatening to slit the Rodian’s throat now. She did not know where herself had gone, either.


	5. Maul Waited for the Right Time, The Right Time Did Not Wait for Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone spotted them.

They formed a good team. Kenobi had her own advantages. It feels different to have someone by his side.  
Maul still wanted his revenge, but not before Kenobi rehabilitating from whatever she had been taking to hallucinate herself, which was what he told himself.

Kenobi was mostly dressed in his clothes, on which she did not particularly care for. Maul reckoned that soon a shopping trip would be necessary.  
She spent her time mediating. According to Maul’s perception, she was searching and longing for something, but had yet found it in the Force.

He was still not sure what she ate, or did she eat at all. But all those indulgence in carnal pleasure was extremely good, even Kenobi did not seem to mind having it with him anymore. It was also part of the reason that Maul secretly doubt her soberness.

Kenobi is a trouble magnet. Maul corrected himself leaning on an uncomfortable table in a small room.

I should have anticipated. The local scums they had been negotiating with took a turn in attitudes, demanding the ownership of “his human slave” as part of the deal.  
Maul sighed, it hadn’t been this hard when he was alone. Now in a place of hooligans and scums, all the eyes were on the woman.

To make it worse, she did not realize the problem.

Kenobi nudged him with the Force.  
Maul understood that she could infiltrate into the gang if they kept the negotiation open, — As if he would agree to that shameless extortion!

With a sharp hiss of vibration, a dark blade pieced through the Rhodian’s body.  
He looked down in disbelief to the saber protruding from his chest, heaving. The next second, neon blue blood sprayed from his mouth.

Maul turned in time to avoid the blood mist, accusingly facing the round-eyed human female.  
He mouthed: “It’s all your fault.” “Maul!” Kenobi could only wail at him fruitlessly, then joined the fight with her lightsaber freshly unhooked from the Zabrak’s belt.

It was when Kenobi got shot near her stomach that a shock of panic hit Maul: he should have let her practice more.  
The bolt sent her flying across half of the room. The woman dropped onto the floor, letting out a muffled whimper.

Maul roared, he could smell her blood trailing in the air.

Red rose to his vision, the craze for blood was triggered in his body.  
Both of his hearts began pumping wildly, hater took over his sense. He tried, tried to sit down and talk. Dare these scums to claim his possession! Kenobi was stupid enough to let herself get hurt by their filthy, dirty, weak hands!  
She belongs to him; it is he who decide her body and her fate.

The dark side was screaming in his ears. The Force rose from the black-hole of his inside, venting through his vessels. It took the wheel of his body.

Maul crushed the shooter’s skull in the distance without hesitation, leaped across the table and standing over Kenobi’s fallen form.

He snapped the empty hand, a human’s spine shattered at neck immediately. Life abandoned the creature within a blink. The gangsters fell like grass under his blade.  
Scream in fear and agony flooded the room.

Then Kenobi tapped him on the mechanical ankle. She was breathing heavily. He could hear wind passing through the hole they opened on her.  
Without looking back, Maul waved.

On his call, the dark saber flying across the table, drilling through the last running figure towards the door.

The room fell back to silence.

Time to inspect around. All the gangsters were dead in seconds. All ended too soon to quench his anger. He could still taste blood on tip of the tongue. The dark desire once aroused, someone will pay a price to quell the demon.

He balled his hand again, with stronger force this time. The nearest Tradoshan’s thick head caved in, crackling while Maul adding power to his fist, finally, exploded under pressure. Wet matters spilt onto the wall.

With the man’s foul brain and blood covered up the sweet scent of Kenobi’s wound, Maul recomposed himself, crouching down to examine Kenobi.

The bolt drilled through her stomach, came out from her back, but did not hurt any organ, namely uterus. Instinctively, Maul relaxed. She looked paler, If anything else indicating her state, she was not happy, either. But that was not of his concern.

“You don’t need to kill them, not to mention in such a manner.” She is clearly conscious, good. Maul snorted, tore up the sleeve of his tunic, set off to bind her wound up. Kenobi added while letting Maul to lift her up: “ No wonder we haven’t appear on the Holo News: two maniac with flashy swords spotted. We just killed all the witnesses.”

Maul immediately started to remorse for the days when he could beat the woman unconscious to shut her up. He felt tired.

Here is the question: why he can’t? Or why he won’t?

Maul’s mind was wandering when he carried Kenobi outside onto the market street, and when he strapped the woman onto her usual spot on motor he parked besides a scrap stand. He ignored the pained huff when he put down her not so gently. He was approaching an answer.

A small being ran into him head first. “Sowwy sir.” A child, judging from the voice, with a head of blue hair, slipped away from him quickly. The sudden collision knocked Maul out of thoughts, cutting his seeking short. “What the hell?” He squinted at the leaving figure. He had a bad feeling about this.

As if struck by lightening, Maul reached into his back pocket on utility belt. There is only one lightsaber left, his lightsaber.

“Give me a break!” He hissed defeatedly.

Something really bad is happening.

The first thought was that Kenobi schemed it. But the woman on the backseat was looking up at the sky blankly, unaware of what happened like a common junkie. He had accustomed to her waking stupor after a slaughtering.

Maul should catch the child immediately. But the Force slammed on him. He had never had such a strong prescience.

He looked at Kenobi’s bleeding wound, then turned to watch the child disappearing into the crowd. The feeling of being inspected nudged at his neck, triggering all his defense system to an alarming height. “Well, Kenobi, we have a problem.” Maul wondered out aloud.

Kenobi startled out of her lucid dream with a yelp. She looked up at Maul, those sickly green eyes wide.

Her lips trembled: “I know, we have to go.”

Maul agreed immediately, hopping on the motor. But he turned to make sure: “You don’t want your saber back?”

Kenobi stared into the direction where the child disappeared, head tipped left as if concentrated on listening. She shook her head while sat a little straighter: “No. It’s too late. Someone is coming.” Obviously, she also felt it.

They stared at each other. The noise of market drowned out. All the beings busy on the street gradually faded into shadows. The sky was blue and clear behind Kenobi. Sun shining on her pale complexion, she was nearly translucent with a hallow. She was gorgeously sacred, at the same time ominously portentous.

All the time was too short and the end came too soon.

“Maul.”Kenobi reached out, arms stretched. Her eyes never left Maul’s face.

The Zabrak leaned in, pressing a kiss onto those soft lips. Her arms hooked around his neck, tightening. For the first time, the Jedi deepened the kiss, opening her mouth willingly. They were entangled. Maul inhaled the sweet scent deeply.

“Now, go.” Kenobi whispered on his lips, hand brushing across his earlobe onto the ear bone piercing he still had.

Maul rasped, “Where?”

“My place.” The human female smiled sadly, zooming out again. The motor soon rumbled loudly, speeding off the street.

“What the kriff?” A cloaked figure put down the binoculars, standing from the prone position on the roof of a residential building, sounded like a young woman.

Her two Montrels protruded under the hood. Feeling unsatisfied, she rephrased her words, “_What the Fuck!?_”

She spoke to her wrist-com: “This is Fulcrum. Ben spotted, but we have a complication.” Someone tapped her in the back. The rebels’ agent used to take the name Ahsoka swirled around, dual-sabers in hand.

The blue-haired boy was frozen in sight.

“Ezra!” Ahsoka relaxed, but did not forget to correct the boy, “Don’t do that again, I might have hurt you!”

“Sowwy.” The boy named Ezra apologized insincerely. With the smile plastered on his face, he handed out a cylinder object.

Maul had all the questions in mind, but he could not pick one to ask. He got a feeling that he did not only hold onto a Jedi, but also a key to the galaxy. Now the Force was urging him to drive faster and faster.


	6. Everyone Thought They Were the Predators

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jedi and the former Sith could get distracted even when they were running from pursuit.  
But who was tracking them?  
Generally speaking, a lucid Obi-Wan is an Obi-Wan thinks too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning?  
Romance in a toxic relationship, and now here are the abandonment issues and (domestic) violence to female character.  
Such an unhealthy relationship (*sigh

The air was burning when breathed in. Kenobi’s abandoned hut looked even worse than Maul’s safe house, which was fairly maintained by the two during the days. Ironically, the two houses were located not far from each other.

Back in the safe house, Kenobi even kept a cactus indoors. It was a deep purple one with a crown of thrones. She discovered the little thing by a decrepit wall during the one of their aggressive negotiations. The Jedi dug it out with bare hands, ignoring that the gravels broke her nails. Maul watched silently with curiosity, and mourned a little for her nails and the scratchy sensation on his back. Those only had a chance to grow longer after she was taken in by him. 

The cactus did not require much attention. And it was not even mobile. On one hand, Maul was perplexed why Kenobi would spend time staring at something immobile. On the other hand, he found it came handy when he did not want Kenobi to try anything funny. All he needed to do was threatening to stomp on the cactus, which would have sounded strange if he hadn’t had mechanic legs. Seeing Kenobi sulking defeatedly in the corner was fun. 

But the house was not safe anymore. They were exposed. Anyone could be looking for them.

As soon as Maul stopped the motor, Kenobi jumped onto the ground. Never had Maul seen the woman scramble before. Without wiping off the sand from her hands and knees, she blew open the door with the Force while still cradling her side with the other hand. Maul followed her closely into the hut, only to see the Jedi snatched something from a drawer and swirled back out. 

She was swift, but the Force darkened quicker. Both of the Force users sensed a looming shadow approaching at an alarming speed, larger than a republic cruiser, darker than Maul could ever project. 

When Kenobi hopped on the motor, Maul thought she would abandon him and rode away into the desert. But she waited until the Zabrak jumped onto the backseat, then hit the highest speed. Sands stirred up by their vehicle entangled in Kenobi’s loose hair. From Maul’s view, the brown tendrils of sand were weaving around woman’s auburn hair, extended, huge, and all-mighty as if she was a desert djinn. 

All she needed was to give him a side-glance. Maul quickly understood, and broke the hook to the attached cart to jettison it. With a jolt, the motor suddenly rose higher. They were heading to the mountainous region. Sunlight shed on Kenobi’s side. She looked alive, adrenaline rushing in her body. Maul did not know what exactly she was running from, but he had a few speculations. The thing, or the being, kept her alive. She cared so much. A sudden sense of insecurity hit him hard in both hearts. Maul tightened his clutch on Kenobi’s waist, to steady himself from the phantom pain. He looked back at the quickly disappearing Jundland Wastes, felt as if he still had been there, in their safe house. 

“My silly kids. They thought they could save the galaxy, just by the hundred beings they have persuaded?” Obi-Wan poked at the fire while muttering to herself. Anxiety projected from her, stronger than any other time. Maul and she would stay in the cave for the night after they covered some tracks and winded around a ridge. The plan was going deeper in the mountain tomorrow. Kenobi’s plan.

“It’s not their cause to fight! I really find their lack of patience disturbing.” Obi-Wan talked far more than usual, fingers combed through her hair exasperatedly. She tightened the cloak around her shoulders. But Maul was uncharacteristically silent tonight. He stayed at the entrance of the cave, barely warmed by the fire.

“It is not my cause, either.” Maul finally spoke. His husky voice echoed among the rocks. The air suddenly froze. 

Obi-Wan whipped around, stared at him deadly in the eye: “So?” She looked agitated, lips pressed into a thin line. Those pliant limbs locked rigidly beside her body. 

“Do not try to fool me, it’s the empire coming for you.” Maul spat out. Intentionally or not, he already had his lightsaber in hand. 

Obi-Wan tensed, “Indeed. You are perceptive. But what of it?” The strangely familiar pressure was back after so many days. She did not like where the conversation was going.

“I’ll not let you drag me into this shit.” Maul finally turned around, eyes searching everywhere but the human in front of him, “I kept the past at a distance, while the victory is so close. I will not abandon my business and go back.” He folded those mechanical legs under laps, like a huge wolf prying in between the shadows of forest.

His voice was calm but it sent a chill down Obi-Wan’s spine. She should have considered it! Of course they would go part ways. But it is him that has an unhealthy obsession with her, isn’t it?

It hadn’t registered in her mind until now,

“Are you abandoning me?”

The word came out so ironic that she nearly barked out a bitter laugh. The package felt heavy at her (former Maul’s) waistband instead, which should have been reassuring like the previous thousands of times. But the prospect of using it put dread into Obi-Wan’s mind.

There was a glint of light flickered through Maul’s yellow eyes. The tattoos on his face crinkled a bit, which looked suspiciously like an interested smile stirred up by her choice of words. He lowered his head, started slowly, “How can I _abandon _you, my purpose of life?” 

Those words came out nearly endearing. But they sounded so wrong in the meantime. Maul finally looked into her eyes from below, forehead drawn tight.

“No, I will not abandon you. It is you that have your eyes elsewhere. I won’t allow it.” Maul’s feature was slender and sharp against fire. He always left an impression of cunning rather than strong, which did somehow make him look even fiercer. However, this time, his force was a mist of sincerity.

He finally breathed out softly, “I plan to kill you here and now. It’s time.” 

Before the moment the last syllable landed, Obi-Wan had already sprung at him.

The durasteel surface warmed up in her hand. The cylinder was heavier than she was used to. ——Bile rose up to her throat. 

How did everything, every person, go on a path so wrong?

There was a flash of blue, clashing with the dark saber. Both of them were pressing on. Maul’s hot breath invaded her personal space. Exactly like the time when Maul crawled back from hell and confronted her for the first time in ten years. Then it had been almost another ten years. Obi-Wan doubted that either of them had the next ten years to live. Maul was surely aware of it, even though he still wanted to kill her now. How absurd. 

“Interesting.” Maul eyed the saber in her hand, but showed no recognition. Obi-Wan recollected herself, took the chance to shove him hard with the Force. As a lightening, they broke away to land separately at each side of the cave. They are nothing. She was but a war spoil. Fundamentally, she was destined to be alone. 

And she had never been given the choice to give up.

Obi-Wan rushed forward, in time jumped over a responding Maul to attack his back. Maul bended down and kicked backwards from a strange angle, which the Jedi Master had no choice but to dodge with a side-flip. I hate his new legs. Obi-Wan thought while in midair but had already known she missed the hit then.

There was a moment when both of them were parallel to the ground, Obi-Wan over Maul, her blade grazed across his shoulder. She dropped onto ground while Maul reversed to face her. Their movement was synchronized. He swiftly threw his dark saber from right to left hand. Immediately the dark light was at Obi-Wan’s forehead. She stared at blade with narrowed eyes.

She had thrived for Anakin. Now she must do the same for Luke. She would send him onto his own path, and again be left alone. Obi-Wan realized pathetically, she hadn’t thought of them for awhile until now, when things even couldn’t work out with Maul.

A vicious blow landed right onto her stomach when she was distracted. Maul kneed her. The pain rushed upon her nerves nanoseconds after the realization. It hurt badly with the crushing force. He had not used such intensity of violence. 

“How dare you!” Maul shouted, eyes shot with red. “To think of someone else in face of your own death by me!”

“Oh really, who am I thinking?” Obi-Wan tried to talk back while choked on her own breath. But she smiled anyway. The air strangely cleared up while the pain eating from her inside. The rock on her chest was suddenly removed although the physical pressure from Maul was stronger than ever. She could see those hyper-focused pupils were now full-blown. Maul hunched over her, trying so hard to suppress something that his whole body was oscillating.

Her wound was torn open again, blood seeping through the fabric. Clearly Maul could smell it. Regardless of her own compromising position, Obi-Wan laid down her stance, lying flat under the Zabrak. She bored into those beast-like eyes, lips opened, “Tell me, who do you think?”

Maul snarled at her face, pressed hard down and locked her limbs. His body heat was radiating. The beast was unleashed when the chain of reason cut loose. The desire was burning hot, thick sensation broke out of the bodies and filled the whole cave. Obi-Wan laughed out, reached up and again, kissed him on the chin. 

After a moment of softness, the tide of lust roared onto the shore. Maul leaned down as if to devour her, as if to crush her into his body.

But the moment broke immediately. A new Force signature appeared silently. 

A younger female's voice rang from the entrance, "Get away from Master Obi-Wan, Sith!" Twin montrals peaked proudly under the hood, projecting a long shadow onto the cave wall. The familiar energetic presence almost sent Obi-Wan in tears.

However, it's all Obi-Wan could shout out, "Ahsoka, run!" 

Closely followed, the true darkness was here. 


	7. One is Here, the Other is Always Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan did what she was best at: rolling with the punches.

“No, Master Obi-Wan! I will not run away this time.” The Togruta girl stood firm, shoulders square. No, she was no longer the little girl when she left the order, when she left her masters. Twin sabers slipped from holsters into her grip. She had grown into a proud and strong warrior. The Force was shining around her, praising its champion of glory and purity. Obi-Wan unconsciously flinched, inner thigh brushed against Maul’s muscle. She hoped that Maul could get the hint. But the Zabrak seemed to be numb to the subtle nudge. Embarrassment crept across the gap.

Ahsoka impatiently ignited her sabers, “Master, we are two against one. The odds are on our side.” Her stance was far steadier than Obi-Wan had ever seen her before.

Maul suddenly blurted out, “You are so sure that it’s YOU two?”

Immediately, Obi-Wan felt so old, and wary. To be honest, Obi-Wan considered a lot in the moment. She did not want Ahsoka and the rebels to expose themselves because of her. Nor did she wish to involve innocent people into her personal affairs. And worse, everything now, the empire, Maul, and… the hope left in the desert, was all personal to her.

“Just go, Ahsoka. I am fine.” Obi-Wan raised her voice without looking at the entrance. That’s her Master Kenobi impression, something she thought she had forgotten. Maul merely stifled a low laugh, which won him a reprehended stare from Obi-Wan.

Their eyes locked tightly as if in a duel. The Zabrak nearly looked into her soul, spared little attention to the intruder. Those red-rimed yellow eyes were surprisingly telling.

Obi-Wan shook head slightly, expression solemn. While a cruel smile split across Maul’s feature. The looming darkness was already over head. She was surprised how Ahsoka could not feel the stifling Force coming.

Ahsoka stared at the Jedi and Sith, tensed and perplexed. Nobody responded to her directly. They only had each other in their sight. It seemed that they were not hostile, and even, they were communicating. Darth Maul was literally perching over Master Obi-Wan. But she did not show any discomfort to the invasion. Just like hours ago in the market, Master Obi-Wan let the Sith get in her face. Although her Force was clouded, she was not so severely injured that couldn’t fight. Strange.

As Ahsoka was fretfully analyzing the situation, Maul stood up slowly, brushed aside Obi-Wan’s fingers on his arm. 

Maul gave her a last meaningful stare, bounced a bit on his talons. A plan clearly formed in his mind.

“Well, Lady Tano.” Maul tucked both arms behind, forehead drawn high. He seemed satisfied and smug, “We finally met.” He shoved Obi-Wan back behind his form while Ahsokas’s fighting instinct was dialed up to full scale. She decided to wait through his usual melodramatic monologue to see what game he was playing. 

“Imagine it was the empire who had found your precious master, instead of me. I took remarkable efforts to spare her miserable life.” He talked down to Ahsoka like a teacher, eliciting the expected answer.

Anger rose in the young girl. But she resisted that silly temptation. Ahsoka changed tactics and turned, “Master Obi-Wan, come here! Go with me and we can leave this scum!”

Obi-Wan visibly paled. Her focus was not here. “We could have. If only you two had decided to stop the friendly chat two minutes ago.” Before she could finish, engines’ roar hovered over the mountain. Every Force user could feel the darkness now. Even the non-sensitives across the planet received shivers across spines.

“Time to depart, Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan pulled out a controlled smile, which was meant for comfort but instead freaked Ahsoka out. What was happening?

Maul bared his teeth triumphantly. Now they had no choice but to take flight, ideally, a flight to the rebel base.

They were running among the rocks on a trail hanging by the cliffs. Ahsoka had hidden her ship on a plateau beyond the ridge. Bolts of laser beams blasted the gravel ground around them. Maul used the mountain wall as a bolster, the mechanical legs gave him unusual strength. Each leap he took sprang all the muscles. He pulled Obi-Wan along roughly without slowing down.

Even Ahsoka, as a matured Togruta warrior, could barely follow him. Meanwhile the TIE fighters swooshed in the air in a triangle formation, led by but one. The darkness was here, piloting the TIE leader. Their existence was a chilling blackhole.

Ahsoka felt every nerve in her body tightened. Suddenly, she drew her saber and deflected a bolt back-handed without looking.

Obi-Wan gave her a thumb-up, one arm still in Maul’s tight hold.

It’s ridiculous! Ahsoka didn’t understand what happened on stars. This Obi-Wan was distorted. She could not imagine what that vengeful Sith had done to her. But now she could not outrun the TIEs without the Sith dragging the Jedi master.

“I chose this.” Obi-Wan said airily, as if had read Ahsoka’s expression. She faced backwards. If they hadn’t been busy running and sliding, the scene would have been hilarious. Ahsoka opened her mouth while Maul voiced first, “No, I chose this for you.”

The Togruta bit on her lips, decided to get rid of Maul as soon as possible once they were safe.

“Indeed.” Obi-Wan turned, one hand rested on Maul’s crown of horns, “You forced me to choose the desert over these rebel kids.”

“I will demand an answer about what’s in this hell of sands once we get off.” Maul quipped back smoothly, “Don’t expect to dodge the question.” He scooped Obi-Wan up from the ground, and threw her over one shoulder. The Jedi master did not struggle except of letting out a muffled groan.

If Ahsoka hadn’t had left the order before, she would have realized that it was such a sick imitation of what happened on the_ Invisible Hand._

The TIE pilot must be extremely good. It dodged protruding rocks, maneuvering among the canyon with terrifying speed. They had managed to lose the others, but not this one. It dashed with anger. It was the source of darkness that was so strong, even more prominent in a distance than Maul close by.

“Over there!” Ahsoka spotted her ship. It was near. But the TIE was nearer.

Lasers rained down on them.

In the storm of shattering gravels, Obi-Wan murmured in a light mood: “Lord Vader is surely a character.”

“Vader?!” Ahsoka’s montrals twitched. Her throat was dry with disbelief, “Now you tell me it’s Vader?”

“Of course, my dear. Who else?” Obi-Wan answered off-handedly. Maul slapped her backside with an audible smack,“Do something or shut up.”

An even angrier rain of canons chased at their heels.

Ahsoka had to leap sideways to avoid taking a hit. She was afraid that she would be traumatized forever by the show those two put on.

“Ahsoka, give me my light saber.” Obi-Wan waved at her from the other side of the rising dust curtain.

“I don’t have it.” Ahsoka denied too quickly.

“Of course.” Two voices rang at the same time. Maul even had the leisure to sigh. Obi-Wan pointed back at the TIE frantically, “My evidence of you having it is now shooting at us in case you did not notice.”

Irritation rose in Ahsoka. Obi-Wan always had ill-timed humor, which was maybe the only thing about her remained unchanged.

Maul smacked the human again. This time it was on the thigh. “Quick!” He shouted. The TIE had locked aim on him, with tractor beam focused on the Zabrak’s head.

Ahsoka had no choice but to toss out the narrow-necked saber, an elegant design. Obi-Wan caught it with ease, weighted it in hand. For a moment, Ahsoka could see the blade piercing through Maul’s body. But Obi-Wan just patted his head and smiled.

Clear Force came to life in the night like a cool breeze.

Buzzing sound pierced through the dusty air. Obi-Wan threw her saber out directly at the TIE, igniting the blade with the Force in midair. The dazzling swirl flew towards their enemy without hesitation.

The TIE careened lower towards them with murderous attempt, dodged the killing light with a swift barrel roll.

“The heck it’s still there!” Ahsoka shouted. But in her peripheral, she saw Maul lowered his arm. Master Obi-Wan dropped onto the ground, rolling on the coarse sand.

A deafening crack halted everything.

The front window of the cockpit cracked into radial patterns. A dark saber stabbed right through the glass.

In turn, Obi-Wan’s blue saber circled back in hand with a low hum. A gloved claw. Maul nodded to Obi-Wan.

The fighter flipped aside and elevated higher, leaving the trio a few seconds in awe as if they could not believe they did it. The world turned quiet.

Without more time to waste, Obi-Wan came to realization first, scrambled up and ran inside Ahsoka’s ship to start the engine.

Maul followed Ahsoka closely onto the ramp. The hatch in time hissed closed behind them. The unregistered rebel ship immediately left the ground, breaking through the atmosphere.

Ahsoka breathed out a sigh of relief. Too much had happened like a maelstrom, which allowed her little time to think. She went into the cockpit to set their destination and she really needed to talk to Master Obi-Wan.

But the next moment, she stopped dead at the entrance.

The cockpit was empty. However, that TIE, which was piloting by the infamous Darth Vader himself, reappeared on the radar.

Maul grumbled by her side, made a sudden rude gesture. The escaped Jedi master’s blood was still fresh on his shoulder, leaving a glistening stain caught in the pale light inside the spacecraft. 

Awkward silence was spreading in the narrow space. Through the window, they could only see the desert planet growing smaller.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you three dorks have each other's light saber, congrats! The Anakin in Vader stared at the dark saber, somehow feeling even more insulted.  
And 'Soka, I am sorry, truly.


End file.
